Canele
Categories: French, American (New), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
3219 Glendale BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90039 (323) 666-7133
- Hours:
Tue-Wed 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Thu 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
8 reviews
Neighborhood: Pasadena
"Ok I'll be honest with you. Most of the food in Pasadena over the years hasn't really stood out to me. Typical restaurants with typical…" read more »
70 Reviews for Canele
Bookmark this place now and eat here soon. Cute, romantic, and yet laid back. We focused on veggie dishes and sides and they were amazing (this coming from a huge meat lover). Roasted beats and carrots were a big hit. The cauliflower great too. But the pommes anna was heaven in a dish. Buttery and toasty. Can't wait to try their meat dishes. Also, a good mix of wines on their list. If you wish to bring your own there is a cook fee of only $10!
Note: There is counter service if you prefer to eat alone or can't wait for a table.
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I hesitated about writing a review of Canele since you all sound pretty nuts about it already and there just wasn't any need to write the same review again. Suffice to say that Canele is quite possibly the perfect neighborhood restaurant - friendly, unpretentious, reasonably-priced and well, tasty as hell.
But I want to discuss the brunch. Canele has a great one.
Not many LA places grasp the art of brunch. Canele's brunch menu is concise - a few eggy things, french toast, some simple sandwiches, sides of house-cured bacon and that is pretty much it. The menu almost seems uninspired at first glance. I promise you it is not. Eggs are stupidly fresh and the omelets are filled wih quality ingredients like tomato confit and caramelized onions. They have freshly-squeezed blood orange juice that can also be mimosa-ized if that is your thing. Coffee is dark and deep and perfect. The clincher? All of the savory brunch plates have a tiny, unadvertised arugula salad on the plate. This salad is the perfect, tart, refreshing foil for the rich breakfast foods and manages to take it all to another level.
My only complaint is that Canele doesn't open until 11 for brunch and we like to get our weekend mornings started before then. We've found it more than worth the wait.
Had dinner there yesterday.
Food was great and well seasoned. Cozy atmosphere. Attentive wait staff. Great neighborhood restaurant. Did not feel rushed.
Had duck confit while my friend had the roasted chicken.
The Duck was crispy and tasty and the salad and sides with the duck tasted oh so sumptuous since i could taste the duck fat was used to cook them. While the chicken was moist and very flavorful.
Would go there again and maybe try their different dishes but like some other reviews said I could care less for their free Canele and will be deducting one star for it.
Nice place, very cosy and with a good clientele, but the service was average and the food about the same. Went for dinner on a Friday night and it was early enough not to be too busy yet still felt that the waitress was on the edge of losing control. Food certainly wasn't bad but didn't blow me away either.
Though the service (well, maybe just the girl who waited on us) was rather cold and lifeless, the general ambiance was warm and cozy.
The market salad was tasty. The beet salad was overpriced (for that price it should have come with some avocado, or perhaps some kind of cheese). The boeuf bourgignon was oh-so beefy, and a generous, large portion - I thought the sauce was a bit watery, but maybe that's the way it's supposed to be? WWJD? What would Julia do? For a "small" restaurant, I guess a "small" dessert selection is acceptable, but it was my birthday, so I was hoping for something other than their 4 offerings. We opted for the orange butter cake anyway. What can I say - it was orangey and buttery.
The sweet lil' hostess offered us some caneles as we were walking out the door. But we were too full of buttercake to try them.
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Everything was absolutely perfect!! Everything! Not one complaint. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful dinner and plenty of wine for under $150. AOC is my boyfriends favorite restaurant, and sure enough the owner helped opened Luque's, which is owned by the same lady that owns AOC. Its just as good but at slightly less expensive eastside prices. The restaurant was warm and cozy and never empty and the staff was friendly. One of our new favorite places! Will be back for sure!
This restaurant made me wish I was on a first date with a dashing, intelligent man that I could ravish later in the evening. It has a very sexy vibe.
The space is inviting, with exposed brick and touches of dark grey and deep red. The lighting and music are at the perfect levels. It's cozy enough to be romantic, but hip and chic enough to enjoy an evening out with a friend. Service is very warm and friendly. If you have a chance to sit at the bar and peek into the open kitchen, you'll see a line of chefs making the delicious food you'll be enjoying.
Wendy ordered the chorizo with potato, which had an egg broken over it before it was put into the oven. INCREDIBLE. The flavors sang; I could eat this any day of the week. I had the winter squash soup with dates and creme fraiche, which was savory and sweet and so good on a chilly evening.
For our main course, I ordered the snapper and Wendy had the beef tenderloin (I think) with pommes anna. Her dish was lovely, though mine, unfortunately, came covered in shallots, which I detest. I had to scrape them off, scrapping half the vegetable portion of my dish in the process, which made me sad. The dish wasn't listed as having any onions in it. I can't remember if I asked if there were onions or not when I ordered. (I almost always do.) At any rate, what really matters is that the fish was cooked PERFECTLY and was absolutely delectable once the shallots were removed.
For dessert, we ordered coffee and a cappuccino. Wendy picked the flourless chocolate cake with toffee and I chose the orange butter cake. The chocolate cake was perfectly fine, but the orange butter cake was amazing...rich, moist, and not overly sweet.
We had four glasses of wine, but they took two off the bill because of the shallot incident. I really appreciated that gesture.
I should note that originally I was reluctant to go here because this space once housed one of my favorite restaurants, Osteria Nonni. Now, I can't wait to go back...I just need a date first.
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Tried it once when they first opened and the food was bland, service was iffy and I didn't see what they hype was all about. Went again, wow. Damn, wow. Our dinner, from appetizer to dessert, was incredible. The Best lamb dish I have ever tasted, fantastic cheese plates. It can get loud and crowded, you become very cozy with your neighbors.. but all worth it*
Comfort food executed at a high level. Elevated Bistro faire. This easy going restaurant gets it. I have been impressed each time I have dined there. The menu is great. The service is relaxed and efficient. This is what a restaurant should be.
My idea of the perfect restaurant. I've visited here on a number of occasions and have found their food exactly what I was expecting - fresh, simple, hearty cuisine that sticks to your ribs and doesn't break the bank.
The restaurant is small and shoebox-like, resembling a tiny Manhattan bistro. The open-kitchen reminds me of Chez Panisse Cafe. The tables are right next to each other and it can get a bit loud on a busy night, which is nearly every night. I recommend the beef bourgignon, tenderloin, and roasted branzino. The salads are pretty good although one should beware the dandelion salad - it's very bitter. Doesn't mean it's bad, just know what to expect.
The corkage is only ten dollars a bottle, which is reasonable in my opinion. The service is quick and friendly. This place is just straight forward and honest, without pretention or flair. The chef's in the kitchen most of the time (at least every time I've gone), and the partner/other owner is the front of house, which ensures good service.
It can get crowded on a weekend, so go early for a good seat.
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so very close to 5 stars... had it not been for the service that was well-intended, but a bit dodgy and what some consider to be a quaint and cozy atmosphere that for me was somewhat claustrophobic and cramped, it would have gotten an easy 5 stars. the food on it's own may be some of the best I have had here in LA and was flat out worth 5 stars. straight forward, brilliantly conceived and executed rustic french/spanish/Italian provincial food.
overall, though some dishes were stronger than others overall there is a consistency to the technique, execution and inventiveness that definitely left an impression.
our starters included a wonderful fresh beet soup and a potato and chorizo with poached egg dish that was a bit overdone, but otherwise full of flavor (though the potato/chorizo dish is probably more suitable for brunch than as a dinner appetizer).
our entrees included a perfectly executed and flavorful roasted chicken; a solid, if not spectacular, pasta aglio olio; and a wonderful sliced leg of lamb over a bed of flava beans, fennel and onions that was just to die for.
bottom line... if you go here you can pretty much count on a damn good meal and I look forward to going back to try some of the interesting looking items that we didn't order during our first visit. the service might not be perfect and you might feel a bit like the people at the next table are practically sitting on your lap, but given the choice of a great food experience with mediocre atmospherics vs. having perfect service and ambiance but settling for less memorable food, I'll take that trade-off I'll any day of the week. I'll be back here again. hopefully very soon.
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Yummy! I love healthy stuff, so this place was sweet awesome. Besides their canele, which I didn't actually like. It has a cool vibe with an open kitchen. Portions are a bit small--which is ok if you're healthy.
It is more expensive than peeps are letting on. At least $40 a person if you're going to be satisfied. (Entre, appetizer OR dessert, and drink.)
This place is a well-known gem in Atwater Village. Just recently they started serving brunch on the weekends.
Must say they do it well. There's a lot of heavy dishes on the menu. Many different styles of eggs: baked, quiche, en cocette. It's not really the place you want to go for a lite, fast breakfast. I didn't see any granola or yogurt items.
We ordered the chorizo eggs, baked in a skillet (delicious and spicy) and the smoked salmon open-faced sandwich (on toasted baguette with creme fraiche and capers and onions).
Service was good, but they placed us too close to the window. I kind of felt that we were put there to let people outside know that they were open and serving food.
We'll definitely be returning for more.
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Without a doubt my favorite restaurant right now. Beef tenderloin is my usual choice but the roasted chicken is the stuff cravings are made of. Finish with the biscuit with creme fraiche and seasonal fruit, a perfect dinner. I've tried most of the items on the menu and never been let down. Nothing is fussy or over stylized, its simple, thoughtful and delicious. I don't even mind the tables being so close together.
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This place is... wonderful - I've only been here for dinner, though!
I had the Branzino (sea bass). Which.. was SO delicious, I just gulfed down the whole thing - the seasoning was just right, the potatoes that accompanied it had just the right amount of garlic, herbs, you name it.
Friends had the soup (appetizer), roast chicken w/polenta , & duck, which were equally awesome. For dessert? YUMM. flan, flourless chocolate cake w/real vanilla icecream, and orange butter cake- all were SO great.
ambiance is good, too - not too loud, the hosts were pretty nice - they even gave us these yummy little treats as we exited the store! (as if we didn't eat enough, already...) Wine choice was great, I also love how the water comes in glass bottles on the tables, for yourselves to pour.
sigh
I really really want to like this place more than I do. It has all the things I would normally like about a restaurant, including brick walls, chalk board menu, and decent, fresh, simple food. It's also only a few blocks from my house. The problem is, I am ALWAYS uncomfortable every time I have eaten there. After brunch this morning, crammed in a corner at the counter (I was a solo diner,) and ignored for most of my visit, I've decided to write Canele off.
First of all, the tables are way too close together. I can appreciate the intimate bistro vibe, to some extent, but I'm sick of hearing all the banal conversations. If I have to hear one more scruffy Eastside boy try to convince his date that his screenplay/band/videogame is just about to hit, I'm going to vomit. This morning, the charming conversation right next to my ear was about the size and consistency of the patrons' dogs' shit. I kid you not. If I had just a little more comfortable distance, it would be okay. I can't fault patrons for talking about whatever the hell they want, but I can be miffed at a restaurant design that has us sitting on each other's laps.
Second, this place is always WAY too hot inside. I can't imagine what it will be like in the summer.
Third, it seems understaffed somehow. The servers always have that grim look on their faces as they run around, trying to get everything to everyone on time. I sat for 20 minutes this morning before anyone even acknowledged me with a drink order, and that was only because the guy next to me took pity on me and grabbed the waiter by the arm (turns out he knew the waiter.)
Fourth, dinners are good, but my breakfast of French Toast and bacon was only average this morning. The French Toast was custardy as I like it, but it was a mess on my plate, all broken up. The bacon was that thick kind, which I generally like but it tasted really gamey.
I also get a little sticker shock when the bill comes, but I will concede that with the location and the obviously fresh and quality ingredients, this is probably necessary.
I just wish there was a little local place in Atwater that did the basics with flair and was also comfortable to sit in.
I don't disagree with the 4-5 star reviews here, Canele just doesn't work for me personally.
After my first visit to Canele, I knew I would have to return for a second visit. The opportunity arose last night. I shared two "beginnings" with my friend. The Farmer's Market salad was lightly dressed and fresh. Good, but nothing to write home about. The bean soup with cavalo nero and croutons was insanely delicious. I could have eaten bowl after bowl of it and been a very happy girl. Not very brothy for a soup, but not thick enough for a chili. The flavor was incredible.
My middle was the rack of lamb, which was also tasty. Cooked to about medium rare. The herb salad/pesto on top and fennel made this dish. My friend got the duck confit, which had great flavor as well.
We shared the biscuit and fruit for our "end," and am so glad we did. The strawberries were fresh and sweet, the biscuit crunchy on the outside, flaky inside and lightly sweetened. Yum!
Also had a glass of wine each. Pinot for my friend, Syrah for me. Both good and reasonably priced. And the decaf is good too.
Love the ambiance. It is crowded, but still feels intimate. Service was great. Although he seemed busy and a bit frazzled, he was still friendly and helpful, even giving us tastes of wine before we selected our glasses.
Bill was $90 plus tip.
It is unfortunate that they don't take reservations. The entrees are remarkably fresh and healthy-tasting for European fare and the serving sizes are perfect... not too little, not too much. Just enough so that you have room for dessert. I LOVE the Beef Bourgignon. Rich, tender and juicy.
I"ve never had anything bad here! Insane beef bourgignon, fantastic beef tenderloin, great roasted chicken...I could go on and on. Have been eating at Canele since they opened, it's got a warm, friendly atmosphere and Corina (chef/co-owner) is awesome. My only problem with Canele right now is that they really need to bring back the cheesecake - c'mon Corina, please!?
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It's with a heavy heart I give this 4 stars. I take this yelp shit seriously. I wanted this place to be a 5 start place. Love the location (close to my house), open kitchen, friendly service (although it seemed there was only one waiter for the whole place) and perfectly nice decor. Lamb was good, biscuit with poached honey/carmely fruit was really good. Salads were like eating lawn - I think romaine is as sophisticated as I get when it comes to leafy stuff. I think the salads (12 dollars) were too expensive for what it was. Stick with the entrees. They don't take reservations, btw. I'll try it again, but only because a woman cannot live on tv dinners alone.
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Tasty, and very local, although some of the dishes occasionally taste a little burnt. Also, I sometimes miss the expensive pizza's at Osteria Noni which was the prior tenant here.
Ok, So as a resident of Atwater Village & multi restaurant owner in the Los Angeles Area i would never give a bad review, but....here is my experience. judge for yourself.
Me and my wife have been to Canale numerous times. Not like "where everybody knows your name...." but enough to nickname a waiter and him to know us. We enjoy the food and atmosphere, but we were kinda afraid when it changed hands from Nonni that it might be tooo Silverlakey, if u know what i mean. Atwater has more of a COZY, family feel. More young upcoming families then singles.
So, We decide on Fathers Day to do brunch at Canale. Forgetting they open at 11am for brunch we arrive at 1030am. We stroll down the street to starbucks and grab some ice coffees. I read the paper and in a few minutes start heading back to Canale with my wife & coffees. Now here is where u be the judge?? Do we throw away ice coffees to enter Canale our are they nice enough to understand that we were waiting for them to open. Knowing i am going to drop a fifty doller bill for brunch, i am hoping they are nice enough.
So we stroll through the door, greeted by the hostess and seated. Canale has an Open Kitchen set up. As we are seated my wife asked the hostess if the starbucks was ok? Which i thought was a weird question, but my wife heard the female blonde cook say to the hostess, "do you believe these people, bringing starbucks in here". Bingo...... That was what i meant about "Silverlakey". So the hostess says, "of course its ok". She was very nice and had class. But she went back and told the cook we heard her...which i thought was awesome.....Would u like ketchup with those words???
Is this her first job in an open kitchen??? i guess so. She probaly spit in our food but oooo well. The funny part is, me and my wife were introduced to her 2 weeks before. Her husband is an actor and my friend is HUGE casting director...How funny is that. safe to say, he wont be getting a job from her anytime soon...
The food is good, but i hate the attitude. Atwater doesn't need it. It is called the Hospitality industry for a reason people......If i walk in and i get attitude, i don't care what or who you are. Sorry, but now i will never recommend Canale.
In the restaurant business, they say "make 1 customer happy he'll tell 10 and upset 1 customer, he'll tell 100.
Well, good luck. Call me when you fire the bitter, blonde cook with the foul Sunday brunch attitude.....
Try to smile, its good for business....
PS, i support all Atwater Village businesses.....
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Outstanding beef tenderloin. Great cheese plate. Magnificent peach cobbler. Terrific service. The decor is kind of "cozy communist farmhouse"--red and black and weathered woods. Not obnoxiously expensive, not prim and pretentious. Conversation with the hostess revealed that the restaurant is managed by a woman who hails from Pastis (an obscure French place in lower Manhattan).
Currently my favorite restaurant around. Run, don't walk.
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This place is a great addition to the neighborhood. It's no easy feat to pack tables this tightly together in a space without ruining the ambience, but Canele pulls it off. It feels a bit like a neighborhood-y NYC joint. Anyone with personal-space anxiety should give it a miss, but the candlelight and tasteful design makes for a good romantic meal--despite your neighbors being close enough to sample the food from your plate.
Over six or seven visits, the food has been consistently good, with one small exception of undercooking which the staff was happy to correct. I really like the open kitchen; that's another hard element to get right.
The wait staff can be a little hit-and-miss, but the good ones are very good indeed.
I finally got a chance to eat at Canele last week and I was not disappointed. I had a dandelion greens salad, and the whole fish with roasted potatoes/olives, and finished with a persimmon pudding.
The food was simple, farmer's market fresh, and delicious. The service was friendly and timely.
The space is very comfortable. We sat at a two top rubbing elbows with our neighbors and didn't mind a bit.
And did I mention it was affordable?
Hight
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I started out the evening with relatively high expectations. Martin and I were going to see the Shins at the Greek. One of my favorite bands at one of my favorite venues. We were determined to grab a bite to eat before the show, somewhere in the neighborhood, and I wanted a known quantity, a place I could count on to be consistently good as to not interfere with what was shaping up to be the perfect evening.
I figured, hey, that little Italian place on Glendale, Osteria Nonni. They're always good. So that's where we headed. And my heart sank when I saw the sign outside. Canele? What the hell is Canele?
I was a bit hesitant, but the show was starting in an hour and a half, and I didn't really want to spend the evening driving around looking for something else.
From the second we walked in the door, I knew we were in for something special. The decor was essentially the same, but the place was packed. The open kitchen, which I have always loved, was full of really focused looking chefs. I felt like I had walked into an episode of Top Chef. And the smells... every couple of seconds an amazingly delicious smell would hit me. I was moderately hungry when I arrived, and ravenous by the time we reached our table.
Now, you don't go to a place like Canele if you're looking for an intimate night out. The tables are practically right on top of one another, which can go either way depending on your mood. But last night, I really didn't mind. The couple next to us ordered entirely different meals than we did, and it gave us an opportunity to eat vicariously through them.
Wasn't in a drinking mood, so I skipped the wine, but several others around us seemed to be enjoying their drinks. We started out with the Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber salad. It comes with feta, which I asked for on the side. Martin loves feta. I, on the other hand, cannot stand it. I know, I know, I'm a crazy person. I really want to like it. Just don't. The salad was outstanding. I don't really ever expect much from a salad, but every bite of tomato made me want more. The dressing was light and perfect.
For the main course, Martin ordered the Beef Tenderloin. It was cooked to perfection, and was incredibly tasty. The potatoes and spinach it came with were also quiet good. I ordered the Rack of Lamb which comes with roasted tomatoes and eggplant. I'm not a fan of eggplant and the menu asks for no substitutions, so I ordered a side of sauteeed greens to accompany my meal. The lamb was incredible. Best I've had in a while. I'm usually not a fan of roasted tomatoes, but these were the same heirlooms used in the salads, lightly seasoned, and fantastic. The greens were also very good, savory and cooked to the right consistency.
At one point, I pierced a piece of tomato and scooped up some greens, shoving the entire bite into my mouth. The combination of the two was so intensely wonderful, that I closed my eyes and savored the moment. When I opened them, Martin was laughing at me. But come on people, you know what I'm saying. When you taste something you consider close to perfect, there's very little else in the world that can top it.
We passed on dessert because the concert was approaching, but there were some items listed I intend to try next time. Our server was really great and the atmosphere was busy and fun.
It isn't often that I will consider an experience perfect. But Canele was just that. I loved it, and I will be back for sure.
As for the Shins concert... wow. The perfect compliment to a perfect dinner. The perfect night.
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I was brought here by my Silverlake friends and for a Sat night we only waited 15 mins...or was it the bottle of red wine that helped pass the time? ;-)
The front of house lady was very efficient and charming and kept my low-blood sugar friend from causing too much chaos!
After interogating the slightly impatient "I got things to do" waitress about the provenance of the beef I ordered the delicious boeuf bourguignon which came with ribbon noodles and a rich sauce. All I had room for afterwards was a coffee and a burp!
Highly recommended neighborhood restaurant.
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Took the girlfriend here last weekend and I was as impressed as I have been in a while. This place has all the levels totally dialed in for what you (well, me) really want when you are eating out for a reason.
The wait was just enough to let you get your head right, but not mind-numbing long. Set up and design is natural/minimal without being pompous or pointless. The beer and wine list was in every range and seemed to pair well with any/everything on the menu. The food featured authentic twists with a purpose, not just tricks with foams or anything. Everything was prepared with obvious care with nothing masking the quality of the ingredients or recipe. For 2 drinks each, appetizer, 2 entrees and dessert to be $100 with tip in LA - i had zero issues.
Maybe we just caught the perfect storm (ok, the waitress was whatever), but to me, this is what you go out and spend money on food for.
I love this place!
The ambiance is really laid-back, neighborhoody, quaint and cute. Very chill and comfortable, perfect for a casual romantic dinner. The menu is simple and may not be the most creative in town, but the food is solid, GOOD. mmmmm~~~~~
We shared the night's special seafood soup for an appetizer, I had the lamb, and my date had the chicken, and we shared the flourless chocolate cake for our dessert. I especially, absolultely LOVED the seafood soup. You can tell that they didn't cut corners to make this flavorful soup, which tastes like the ocean with a little kick of orange zest. This multi-layer flavored soup is good for your soul! I hope they'll make it again.
The other dishes were very solid as well. My lamb was cooked perfectly (thank GOD they didn't overcook it like many other places do), my date's chicken was very flavorful and tender, and the corncake underneath the chicken with subtle sweetness was very nice and complimentary as well.
Oh and the chocolate cake with vanilla icecream? DA BOMB! The crunchy pieces of toffee mixed in it killed! So, so, so good.
Like the other people mentioned, the space is pretty crowded...the tables are placed very close to one another (let's just hope people dining next to you won't have annoying conversations because you will really hear them). And I would have liked it better if they served the wine with an actual wine glass...
Nonetheless, i'm definitely going back.
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I would really love to love Canele. The space is adorable, the food was great, and our server was truly pleasant.
HOWEVER, the hostess at the restaurant was too horrible to be imagined. A group of us showed up at about 7pm on a Friday because two of us had a birthday. We were going to be a table of 10, and 8 of us had shown up within 5 minutes of 7pm. The hostess sat us right next to the door very quickly, which was very nice of her. Unfortunately, two of our party got lost and ended up in Glendale and didn't find their way until 7:45. In that 45 minutes, we ordered a bottle of wine for the table. The hostess meanwhile, showed up a total of three times, became increasingly hostile, started making a scene, and in the last two times threatened us that we had to order appetizers, and that it was not an option, even after we had just ordered wine. The shift manager was nearby but said nothing. One of my friends, who eats out at LA restaurants all the time gave our server his card and asked the manager to call him, and she never did. A+ for food, but D- for customer service. I was so embarrassed to recommend my friends come here, and I never will again.
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I'd probably give this a 2.5 if I could.
Went here on a Friday night with some friends, we were a group of six in total. I don't plan on going back here anytime soon. The food was so-so. I ordered the beef tenderloin, which I'd asked to be medium-rare but came to me rare and not hot enough. The flavor was just okay, nothing too impressive. My fiancee had the snapper, which was also mediocre and too oily. I ordered the Famer's Market salad with my dinner, which was fine, but too much salt and nothing special for 6 bucks or however much it was. My table of six shared two appetizers - the chorizo and ham and cheese, probably the best part of the meal. The chorizo was particularly tasty. We also shared 4 bottles of wine (10 dollar corkage a bottle) and ordered the four desserts to share: strawberry shortcake, flourless chocolate cake, some orange cake thing, and flan. Again, pretty medicore stuff.
The place looks nice, although with our party, we had to wait a half hour or so to get seated (we got there around 7:15). It's small, but nice inside. If the food was better, I'd head back, but we ended up paying 55 bucks a person, and I didn't think it was good enough to warrant that. It would've been less without the wine and maybe without a salad or dessert, but still, they're charging too much for food that ain't that great.
I also wouldn't recommend going with a group much larger than 4 people simply because the place is small and I don't think our waitress was particularly thrilled with the size of our group. Maybe she was thrown off by the four bottles of wine we placed on the table.
The food is probably 3 stars (average/mediocre) but the expensive price knocks my rating down to 2.5 stars.
Really, this is your chance to have a top dinner in LA, on the relative cheep. A short menu of what the place is sure they can prepare perfectly. The salads are invariably astounding, and unappealing ingredients are a sure sign that you're about to learn to love a new plant. The staff and ownership is convivial. The only complaint is the pinner glasses of wine; nine dollar thimbles can add up. Sitting at the counter allows a exciting view of expert cooking, and sitting at the front window long table with other groups works out well; with the acoustics proving enough privacy, while the proximity has provided some very smart encounters.
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Instant favorite. Normally I wouldn't award a place five stars after only one visit, but this place is inspired.
This beautiful little restaurant, from the moment I arrived, filled me with confidence that I was in for a treat. From the cozy interior of this neighborhood spot-- which was packed on a Sunday night (certainly a good sign)-- to the open kitchen where I could watch the chefs look and act the part of true artisans, Canel struck me as something special... and then the food proved it.
My first course, a minestrone soup, was not only delicious, but it showed a great deal of restraint-- where other restaurants would load their food up with salt, Canel went with actual flavors. Things only got better from there.
I'll absolutely return, and soon. It's funny though-- something about the place kept making me feel like I was more of a guest than a customer-- that said, even if next time is only half as good, I'll still be very happy.
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Canele is a treat, the kind of place you know you'll revisit soon, but instead of rushing back two weeks later (like I would for say a great new cheap noodles or pizza joint), you wait a couple months to return to Canele in order to cherish it. It's like that hot new track that demands a replay, but the power is yours to keep it fresh. I had the tenderloin - succulent and well complimented by a Bordeaux.
The exposed brick walls and no real division between the seating area and the line make for a loud, bustling ambiance - the way a trustworthy kitchen should sound. Save room for the complimentary mini-sponge cake, or canele, offered on your way out the door.
The first time I came here, I didn't eat here because I was expecting Osteria Nonni. I finally tried this out, and I really like this place because:
1) Great vibe, cool mix of people eating here (although it was crowded, we were seated within 5-10 minutes on Friday night at 8:30)
2) It has an open kitchen where you can see and definitely SMELL what they are cooking. Just the delicious smells wafting through the restaurant were making me salivate
3) The menu is simple but the food was really tasty. We had the beef tenderloin (perfectly cooked medium rare) and beef bourginon with buttered noodles (the meat was really flavorful and tender). The food is very rich, but because the portions are a little on the smaller side you don't feel like you have gorged yourself at the end of the meal.
4) The canele that the hostess gives you on the way out. I've never had one before, and now I'm thinking about the next time I can eat here again so I can have another one!
Dinner for 2 was about $66 including tax or tip, most of the entrees are about $20-$28. I will definitely be back!
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So after much search of a good food with affordable pricing, lol, it's all about the recession. Canele seems to be a good candidate for it, oh it also listed as Organic and Local fare, so that's always a plus.
Nice, down to earth place serving good food and quality. It's a great crowd for Thursday night. Started with Clams with beans which is my favorite, it was so delicious, the clams were sweet and juicy and the beans gave the right compliment, nice and warm. Then the cheese plate, which is very, very generous portion, it was delicious as well. Entree were the Tenderloin, which is good but not 'WOW'. Then also the Red Snapper which was also delicious. All the food was very, very well made. Support Canele.
add: Hmm the day I went the hostess was this very stunning lady, something about her is very attractive, not in a sexual way. And at the end when she represented the Canele to send us off from the restaurant, it was just so fabulous, her posture holding the plate and she said "Canele" so effortlessly, just fabulous.
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After a long weekend at Sunset Junction, we just wanted a good, hearty meal. We went to Canele, not really knowing what to expect. I don't really eat meat, and there are no options for vegetarians here, which is fine, I suppose--one pasta dish, which consists of (slightly undercooked) spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, and too much parsley. I can make that at home and save about $9.73, but it tasted okay, and I was just happy to be sitting.
It took us a while to order, and maybe that peeved the waitress a little, but we sat for at least twenty minutes between our salad and our entrees. It was already about 9:00pm, so there were not a lot of customers waiting for their entrees. I don't understand why it took so long. So I asked the waitress if we could have some more bread (or something....jeeez louise I was starving!), and she told me she'd have to check. Oy....so a few minutes later she brings out some really dry bread, but no new dish of butter.
Our entrees finally came. My boyfriend got what looked like a very nice, well prepared beef tenderloin (and he did think it was tasty), however, he certainly paid for it the next day. This meal made him very ill--fever, body aches...food poisoning is no fun! As a mentioned above, my pasta was fine, but for their one vegetarian dish, they may want to spruce it up a little.
I'm really big on service, and this place failed for me. I had to ask for more water after my glass sat empty for five minutes, the entrees were SO late, and our waitress was inattentive for the entire meal.
The one perk--a nice little canele bite (it was like a sweet, bready, crispy something yummy) on the way out from the hostess. Parking's not so bad either--try the residential side streets.
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Diamond in the rough village.
This place is a gem in the middle of old Atwater Village. Great food and a decent wine list will keep me coming back here.
We started with the heirloom tomato salad. Fresh and tasty! Next we had the beef bourguignon and roasted chicken. The former was rich and flavorful (a bit on the greasy side which is why I dropped a star). The latter was perfect with a sweet corn dressing and root vegetables. Our last course was the peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm!
The service was friendly and casual. The decor is simple bistro with an open kitchen and a menu handwritten on a giant chalk board.
Every neighborhood should have a place like this to turn to when cooking is not an option.
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